University Archives and Special Collections Handbook

Located at the end of each shelving run, there is one white sheet: "Collections Usage Log". This is how the department monitors what is taken out of the Preservation Room. There should only be one "Collection Usage Log" per run. If there is more than one, notify the the Library Assistant. If you are asked to pull material(s), fill in the appropriate section(s). You can get all of the information off from the box label and folder.

Collection Number

• Example: MSS 001, UA 072, UA 104-193, CS 017, RH 013
  • This is designed for the collection area (CS, MSS, RH, and UA) and then the number (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.)

Box Number

• Example: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
  • This is to signal which box the material is coming from and located.

Folder Number

• Example: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
  • This is designed to keep a numerical order inside of the box(es). It is the three number at the end of the folder (i.e.: MSS 001-1-1).

Date Out

• Example: 7/16/2018; 07/16/18
  • When signing out materials, you must fill out the month, date, and year. 

Initials

• Example: JAW, DE, BB, BE, MH, etc.
  • This shows who took the material out.

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Here is an example if you are pulling a box collection

• The University Archivist asks you to pull the Karl Kae Knecht books from the Charles Goldman collection. They gave you this information: MSS 224-1.

• REMINDER: Leave the last two boxes (Date In and Initials) blank for whoever returns the material back its proper spot.

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If you are asked to pull material from the Communal Studies (CS) or Regional History (RH) collections, a large amount of their material is located in the silver filing cabinets along the wall on the left hand side (there is a small bit of boxed Communal Studies material). Let's look at two examples:

• The University Archivist asks you to pull folder 1 from CS 089 for a communal scholar.
• The University Archivist asks you to pull folder 29 from RH 029 for a former member.

Both collections have their own "Collection Usage Log" and sign out their material(s) in their respective areas. Since a folder is being removed, you must take an orange "OUT" sheet and place the information (i.e. CS 089-1) onto it. Once it is filled out, then place it where the folder was originally located. It will serve as a marker for whoever returns and checks the material back in.

REMINDER: DO NOT SIGN OUT MATERIALS IN OTHER AREA LOCTIONS!! If it is located in CS, no one will see it is signed out in the RH collection. Similar to the boxed materials, if it is in the first run, sign it out in its appropriate location.

Once the material(s) is no longer needed, it is time to sign the material(s) back in and placed in its correct location. We are going to use our previous three examples from the previous section: MSS 224-1, RH 029-9, and CS 089-1.

You will pul the "Collections Usage Log" and fill in the rest of the information in the last two sections.

REMINDER: If there is an orange "OUT" sheet in its respective space, remove it and mark out the information on the sheet. 

Oversized map case material(s) do not need to be signed out on the "Collection Usage Log"; however, they need to be placed into their correct drawer location in order to be found.

• Example: The University Archivist is setting up a display and they need to use land grants signed by Patrick Henry. It is from MSS 157, Folder 9.

You might need to pull up the Map Case Listing from the Z: Drive or the finding aid for MSS 157 to locate the material. Once you discover the location, which is 16-E, you will go to the drawer and search for the material. It will look like the following:

Once it is finished being used, the drawer location is on the top right hand side corner.